


He Was...

by crystallized-iron (Somiko_Raven)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Briefly mentions details from movie Only You starring RDJ and Marisa Tomei, Gen, Minor Avengers: Infinity War spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 03:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14991332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/crystallized-iron
Summary: When Tony goes to meet the Spider hero he saw on youtube, he meets the boy's aunt May Parker first... again.





	He Was...

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post](http://crystallized-iron.tumblr.com/post/175051386827/themillenialfalcon-angryschnauzer%22) started by [the-fit-geek](the-fit-geek.tumblr.com) and added onto by [angryschnauzer](https://angryschnauzer.tumblr.com/)

It felt like business as usual as Tony rang the doorbell. He was focused on meeting this spider… whoever kid, and probably needing some sort of lame excuse to get the boy away from his guardian, May Parker.

He actually liked the name May, remembering the oddball girl that believed in soulmates. He had cared so desperately for her, maybe even loved her for a brief moment, while he was away from his life, but duty called eventually and he had to accept his responsibility and return home, leaving her a brief note before disappearing before she woke one morning.

Tony pushed the memory away, straightening up. He felt prepared. He already knew what Peter's grades were like (pretty impressive, actually) so saying something about, say… an internship? That would work, right? He just had to convince Mrs. Parker to let Peter leave with him.

When the door opened, Tony realized he was not prepared, he was very not prepared.

“Oh my god…” May murmured as she stared at him. “Tony?”

“In the flesh,” he answered, his press conference tone automatically coming out while he tried telling himself this wasn't his May, it couldn't possibly be!

“What… what are you doing here?” she questioned him. “Do you know?”

“Know… what?”

“About… Wait, do you _not_ know? Do you even remember me?”

It was her. It was the same woman he had had such a good time with so many years ago. “I do remember you, how could I not? I was just very surprised when I saw you.”

“So… you don’t know?”

“Know what? You haven't told me anything yet.”

May’s hands went to her hips as she tried to decide what to do. “Why did you come here?” she tried again.

“To meet your nephew,” Tony explained. “He was chosen for the Stark Internship.”

“What Stark Internship? Peter hasn't said anything about it.”

“Maybe he didn't want to get your hopes up. It was a challenge choosing only one.”

“I'm sure it was… You really didn't choose him because of me?”

“Why would I? I had no idea you were his aunt.”

“Okay… Come in, he should be home soon,” she said to Tony.

He walked inside, feeling strange about her questions of knowing… _something_ , but what was the something he might know? He slowly replayed the information he found on the tiny family in his head, trying to find something that would have stood out. Peter was a very bright young man with a potentially amazing future ahead of him if he was given the opportunity. May had lost her husband of fourteen years not long ago. Peter was fifteen.

_Wait._

“Do you want something to drink?” May casually asked.

Tony gave her a yes, refusing to believe what his brain was trying to say. _That can't be right. They're aunt and nephew, not_ that _._

When Peter came home, the eager boy excited about the old tech he found, the little voice tried again to tell him that that really was what May meant. In Peter's room, seeing what the kid was able to make on his own to help him on his ‘help the little guy’ life mission he was on, made the voice in Tony's head only grow louder.

_But that can't be true._

The few years they knew each other, Tony saw signs here and there, little hints he refused to acknowledge, even as he began to naturally fall into that very role in Peter's life.

It wasn't until he held Peter in his arms, saw him disappear, dust blowing lifelessly in the wind, did Tony finally accept what he had known since that first encounter with the boy.

Tony's only companion on that lonely planet, Nebula, watched him quietly. He hadn't spoken since everything ended and everyone disappeared. He only stared at the dust on his arm.

“You really cared about him,” she commented.

“He was my son,” Tony whispered.


End file.
